MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County Commission voted down a $50 wheel-tax hike Monday, June 5.
The money would’ve funded new schools and helped with renovating and rehabbing Regional One and now some are wondering what’s next for the hospital that has the Elvis Presley Trauma Center, the only level-one trauma center in the metro area.
The center cares for over 4,500 patients every year.
“It’s been a long time coming," 27-year Regional One Employee Karen Mull said. "I think regional one deserves it because all the things we do here at regional one for the community; not just this community but the surrounding communities as well."
The hospital, primarily serving 3 states; parts of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, has a campus comprised of several buildings providing inpatient and outpatient health services.
Most notable is the Elvis Presley Trauma Center; the only level-one trauma center in a 150-mile radius of Memphis.
"We hope no one ever needs regional one," Mickell Lowery the Shelby county commission's chairman said. “But we see daily that people do. Unfortunately, gun violence, and things of that nature, plague our community. So those doors are a revolving door at regional one.”
Since an increase in the wheel tax has failed other options for funding renovations now include:
- Cutting the county’s operating budget to generate the money
- Raising property taxes by 14 cents or more
- Asking neighboring counties to assist with the cost
Either option, county and state leaders are hopeful it will be matched by the Tennessee General Assembly.
"Our chairman of the Shelby County delegation, myself and others have already come together and agreed on this project together," Rep. Torrey Harris Shelby County delegation vice-chair said. " We just gave $350 million dollars for a sports authority. I think that we can protect the health of our citizens in the community.”
A need Mull said is more pressing now than ever.
“The funding could help with transportation for those that may not have a ride to get here," Mull said. "The funding could help with building; increasing rooms, getting rooms remodeled.”
A long list of needs county officials says they’re determined to meet.
"The people there are doing great work. However, the facilities there are inadequate," Lowery said. “It’s our responsibility it belongs to us, and we have to find a way to fund it.”
Chairman Lowery says the commission will be discussing how to fund improvements for the hospital at their committee meeting on June 14 and a final vote is slated for June 26.